Ditto on that. When I join another forum I’ll have to steal that idea…
There are other forums?
Blasphemy !!
So, I’m three chapters into the book, and I am amazed at how, in just 20 pages or so, Herbert establishes such a rich and complex world as his story’s backdrop. Granted, I am probably helped by being familiar with the names and some of the terminology from previous readings – not to mention the Lynch adaptation (even though it is inferior, imo, to the Sci-Fi Channel miniseries, I can’t help but picture Kyle McLaughlan as Paul, and Sting as Feyd-Rautha!) – but Herbert does well what other sf authors don’t (and what Herbert himself doesn’t in much of the Dune sequels): uses his own world’s language effortlessly and clearly to convey so much still-hidden material, yet never making the reader doubt that it is, in fact, there. In other words, this is not some hack author making up Crazy Alien Words ™ on the fly because it will make the story “spacey” or “futuristic”: this is someone being very disciplined about revealing the backstory he’s clearly already created.
To put it more succintly: I think maybe I like the atmospheric feel of this book even better than the story itself. 
Never quite got the “orange” in Orange Chatolic Bible…Orange? I mean, it’s a nice color and all…but Orange?
Orange ya glad I brought this up?? (sorry, so so sorry)
“Orange” is used in Ireland to refer to all things protestant (comes from the Duke of Orange, I think). Herbert used “Orange Catholic Bible” to show that different, often opposing, religious ideas were included together in one scripture.
oh…m’kay
I read the entire Dune series (not including the Kevin Anderson books, which I’ve avoided) a couple of years ago for the third time, and it was still great. At each reading I’ve found something new in it, as a result of my own broader experience of the world. Apparently Herbet based the Fremen on the tribal peoples of northern Pakistan, where he worked (I think doing ecology-related stuff, but I could be wrong on that count). When I read it for the second time I’d just spend a lot of time travelling around the Middle East, and it seemed that Herbert was basing a lot of the story trajectory on the rise of Islam.
As for preferences, on my last reading I have to say that I enjoyed Children of Dune most - Dune Messiah did get a bit abstract. I liked God Emperor of Dune and the later books because of the time depth they gave to the Dune universe, although I didn’t think they were as rich or well written as the earlier volumes.
I note that Topgun read Dune in the desert - another great book to read in the desert is the Mars trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson, Mars being the ultimate desert and all that. I read this while I was working in the middle of the Sahara in southern Libya, and the combination was fabulous.
Finished it last night at 2 in the morning. Huzzah!
More comments later.
I’m really, really impressed. I’m having a hell of a time with it. I have a feeling that if I can just get over the hump I’ll enjoy the rest, but it’s a steep hill to climb.
Part of my job as a projectionist is watching the same movies over and over again, so I have a lot of incentive to read to keep myself awake. Herbert’s style doesn’t exactly thrill me, but I was interested enough to keep going. And once I got within 80 pages or so of the end, I wasn’t gonna put it down until I finished–thus, the 2-in-the-morning stop time.
The story is pretty cool, but I wish Herbert wouldn’t spell out each characters’ motivations via inner monologue every step along the way. Letting the scenes just play out and allowing us to intuit the motivations would have been, IMHO, much more interesting and as a bonus would have made each scene half as long. He also drives his points home over and over again–every other sentence seems to be someone commenting on how extraordinary a boy/man Paul is. I get it already; get to the story.
But that said, I find the society and ecology of Dune well drawn and would like to know more (which means reading more of the books I guess). The sandworms, their origins, and their nature are especially fascinating. I’m not sure I’m ready for more of Herbert’s writing just now, though.
Chuck – Glad you are liking it so far. What is the “hump” for you that you’re having trouble getting past?
Glimfeather – I agree with you about the interior monologues, especially that Herbert doesn’t stick to one p.o.v. inside any given chapter. His style is a case of a little goes a long way, although my personal opinion is that it only gets worse from here on out, which disappointed me because, like you, I wanted to know more. I made it half-way through the fourth book before abandoning the project. And, as others around here have said, skip the prequels altogether. Just my two quatloos.
http://dune.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page
I just found a good one-stop shopping site for all things Dune (see above), and thought others in the GWC read-along might want to check it out, too.
So Chuck, have you finished ?? And if so, what’s your take on it ?
So, I finished the book a couple weeks ago…and have been so busy that I just got a chance to drop a line or so about my thoughts. This was the first time reading the book, and while I had my doubts initially, I really enjoyed it.
To tell you the truth, I’ve never really been too big of a sci-fi fan…to which I’m not sure what to attribute this to besides the fact that no one in my family really was nor were my childhood friends:o BSG was recommended to me by a friend for the political/drama aspects and what he called its ‘space navy’ aspect that I would find interesting (i’m a civy working for the navy). Needless to say, I loved the show and have been listening to the podcast since about the time of #16.
I have always been an avid reader, and decided to give it a try…and I’m really glad I did. Overall, a very good book, and I hope to finish the series in time. So, thanks guys for the recommendation:)
I strongly disagree about the prequels! They fill in where there is a need (at a biological, existential level) for more Dune.
No they aren’t as good but neither are the Bond movies since 1981–but I still like them as a whole.
I think I might have enjoyed the prequels more if I hadn’t read KJA’s own stuff. As I say, he is basically telling the same story, foisting the dynamics and themes and situations of his own universe onto Herbert’s. IMO.
Way back when it was considered new, I saw the Sting movie first and thought “Huh?!”. It went pretty high on my creep factor list so I wrote it off.
Then a few years ago, feeling older :eek: and wiser 
I thought I’d give Dune another try so I listened to the unabridged audiobook. To my surprise, I found I was totally captivated and in awe of Frank Herberts imagination. Right down to the suit thingies that captured every ounce of moisture (ick!). Many evenings, there I was just driving around so I could hear more.
Then I HAD to see every movie/mini-series version ever made! The movie still stunk but I made it all the way through. I do have to say that it made all the difference in the world knowing what the hell was going on. It also made the mini-series shine in comparison. To wrap up, Dune was a Sci-fi turning point for me. I gained a better idea of what “Sci-fi” really means.
So, thinking about points of connection between BSG and Dune – here is this quote from the latter:
Prophecy and prescience – How can they be put to the test in the face of the unanswered question? Consider: How much is actual prediction of the “wave form” (as Muad’Dib referred to his vision-image) and how much is the prophet shaping the future to fit the prophecy? (p. 271, Ace Books 2005 edition)
Do we have any instances in BSG of the prophet shaping the future to fit the prophecy – or are the BSG characters really guided by some sort of fatalistic predetermination of the future? When Roslin accepts the mantle of the dying leader, e.g., isn’t she shaping her and the fleet’s future to fit the Pythian prophecies (albeit on the basis of some compelling circumstantial – but still circumstantial – evidence)? Isn’t she somewhat like Paul Atreides in that: deciding, after an epiphany experience (Paul in the desert after escaping Arakeen; Roslin after seeing the snakes on the podium), that one has been handed a specific role to play, and, in playing it, making the prophecy self-fulfilling?
I’d be interested in hearing your thoughts. Sort of surprised at the relatively slow pace of discussion – has everyone else moved on to Ender’s Game? 
you should be prowd
page 14, im ahead of chuck o yeah